Anti-war protests at the Town Hall on Saturday (Lebanon-Israel conflict)

[happyhippy 11]

BrainThrust, are you referring to the monies that Israel is refusing to give to the terrorist organization Hezbollah… Why give money to an organisation that openly states that it want you rid from the planet???

 

HappyHippy

Jeez... so what do you expect Israel to do keep on retreating until it has its back to the sea?

 

So how do you suggest this conflict should be resolved? Release ‘individuals’ in exchange for kidnapped soldiers? And it ends there? Hezbollah thinks cool, lets grab some more and see what else we can get? Or Israel gives up more land and creates a new border. A new border to fire missiles over.

 

Israel has taken more land since its creation than ceded. The majority of the world is calling for a ceasefire (incidentally, this is not a cessation of hostilities). One step at a time.

[happyhippy 11]

You are obviously unaware that many years ago several Israelis who later served in the Government oif Israel were also terrorists, fighting the British. Now, of course, Israel itself is more law-abiding and much more militarily powerful so thanks to the United States it can do pretty much what it pleases — until, as I suspect might happen, other adjoining countries step into the conflict.

 

In my opinion Bush only supports Israel because there is quite a large Jewish population in the United States and their money talks.

 

Britain, if my memory serves me, was given the Mandate to create Israel and is considered to be to blame for the whole messy business, once again because it didn’t do the job properly.

 

I’m not biased either way, but to misquote Kissinger from years ago (I don’t remember his exact words) he posed a question which asked: “If the Jewish people have been persecuted for 2000 years, isn’t it about time they asked themselves Why?”

 

I think both sides should ask themselves that same question, and come up with answers. The fighting might then stop.

 

Have to say, I agree with that.

[slimsid2000 10]

Just wanted to make everyone aware that there is a gathering planned outside the Town Hall this Saturday at 12 noon to protest against the continuing violence in the middle east.

 

Obviously I can't wholeheartedly endorse it without knowing exactly what the agenda is - but I will be going to see what's up and lending my voice to calls for an immediate cease-fire from both sides (and for our Government to demand the same!)

 

Anyone else planning to go down there?

 

Edit: added link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5203450.stm)

 

Good to see you are being so even handed. BTW, I thought that protest against Islamic extremism you held last year in London following the bombing was spot on. I really salute you all for going onto the streets and letting these murderers know exactly what we think of them.

 

Many people may not know this but you have a proud history of opposing brutality. Your anti IRA marches in the 1980s did you much credit as did your constant and steadfast opposition to the Soviet Union. Keep p the good work guys.

[Whatif wewin 10]

So how did the anti-Israeli rally go.

I looked up The Star on-line not a single word.

Any one know how it was?

[cgksheff 44]

".........police said there were about 100 people in Sheffield,....."

[dragonsoup 10]

Good luck to the Israelis I say, defending their country is a priority to them. You dont get Jews killing innocent people i.e. 911 or Madrid or London they seem to face the enemy without hiding behind civilians or hiding rockets in small villages as do most of terrorists firing weapons into Israel. A more intelligent people are the Jews I reckon anyway.

[upinwath 10]

All it takes for evil to succeed is for Good men to do nothing.

 

Edmond Burke

 

A wonderful quote and, in general, true.

 

Problem is here that the israelis are nasty and go to far but the arabs know this and attack anyway hoping to start a regional war.

The extremist Muslims know exactly what will happen but don't care how many die in their goal to kill jews and wipe israel off the map.

 

In other words there is no solution. Both claim historical rights to the area but that's not the problem. It's that both are just as bent on killing each other and teach hatred to their children.

No matter what side you come down on it's a waste of time as long as they continue to hate.

And they will continue to hate.

Pity as it's the poor sods in the middle that are getting killed.

[Mr Prime 10]

if they dint want bombing then why kidnapp 2 soilders. they r nowt but terriorists

 

They kidnapped the soldiers because Palestine was taken over by colonists and renamed Israel so who are the real terrorists?

[Mr Prime 10]

But if this is nothing other than a one-sided SWP anti-Israel demonstration (which according to other posters is what it is) - then I don't wish to be associated with the far left-wing rent-a-crowd mob.

 

 

Zzzz why shouldnt it be one sided? There is clearly right and wrong here and those who are wrong are those who implanted themselves in the region within living memory because of some fanatical idea. It is not a squabble between two equals but a battering of a nation by aggressive colonists from an artificial statelet.

[redrobbo 10]

Just wanted to make everyone aware that there is a gathering planned outside the Town Hall this Saturday at 12 noon to protest against the continuing violence in the middle east.

 

Obviously I can't wholeheartedly endorse it without knowing exactly what the agenda is - but I will be going to see what's up and lending my voice to calls for an immediate cease-fire from both sides (and for our Government to demand the same!)

 

I see that Umeeksk has now edited his OP with a link which reports ...

"Protests in UK at Israeli action.....

Thousands of people across the UK have joined demonstrations against Israeli attacks on Lebanon. "

 

So, Umeeksk, how exactly were you able to to lend your voice "to calls for an immediate cease-fire from both sides" when - according to your own report - this was, as other posters suspected, a one-sided demonstration aimed only at Israel?

 

So, Umeeksk, when you found out exactly what the agenda was, i.e., a protest against Israel - and not, as you stated in your OP, a "protest against the continuing violence in the middle east" - I assume you were unable to endorse it?

 

Out of curiosity, how did you come to know about the "gathering planned outside the Town Hall this Saturday at 12 noon" and yet appear not to know that it's purpose was a demonstration against Israel? It seems such an odd OP to me to announce that you are blithely going to attend "without knowing exactly what the agenda is". Why didn't you ask other forummers if they knew what this "gathering" was all about before commiting yourself to attend?

[Tony 10]

Most of these posts just show how many ignorant people there are out there. Most people want to just stay in their little world and not care what goes on in the rest of the world. Its good to know that there are people like me who do care about innocent people getting killed everyday. This is a chance for people in sheffield to show how much they are against these kind of things. If everyone has the same attitude and would rather sit at home and watch telly then to get off their backside and make a difference the world will turn more for the worse day by day and we will see more wars and country conflicts

 

You're right, many people are ignorant of the facts.

 

Major terrorist attacks in Israel in the last 5 years.

 

It's not trendy to see it from the Israelis point of view though is it?

[cgksheff 44]

Just to be fair, I can confirm that the content of the BBC page did change.

Before the events, it did suggest a level of neutrality although identifying the organising bodies.

That was the reason that I posted the links to the organisers websites to confirm the real advertised nature of their protest.

 

It was only after the events on Saturday that the BBC page (with the same link) then, correctly, described the protests as anti-Israeli.

 

I find this a bit of a problem with the BBC website (although they are not alone). In the rush to get news out they are not always as accurate as they could be.